Lifting prop for a transfer conveyor

ABSTRACT

A lifting prop for a transfer conveyor enabling its displacement in gangways of mines and in tunnels. The prop is composed of a number of mutually vertically adjustable systems controlled by a pressure medium, enabling the conveyor to be seated on mine cars lifted above said cars, resting by means of said props on the ground, said props adapted to compensate any unevenness of the ground.

United States Patent Mares LIFIIN G PROP FOR A TRANSFER CONVEYOR lnventor: Vladimir Mares, Pribram, Czechoslovakia Assignee: Ceskoslovensky uranovy prumysl nborovy podnik, Pribram, Czechoslovakia Filed: Sept. 23, 1970 Appl. No.: 74,772

Foreign Application Priority Data 1 May 23, 1972 [56] References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 101,231 1/1961 Norway ..198/126 Primary Examiner-Edward A. Sroka Anomey-Richard Low and Murray Schafler [57] ABSTRACT A lifting prop for a transfer conveyor enabling its displacement in garigways of mines and in tunnels. The prop is com- Sept. 9, 1969 Czechoslovakia ..6754-69 posed of a number of mutually vertically adjustable systems controlled by a pressure medium, enabling the conveyor to be US. Cl. ..198/126, 254/86 H seated on mine cars lifted above said cars, resting by means of Int. Cl- --B6 g /Q said props on the ground, said props adapted to compensate Field Of Search "198/126; 254/86 H; 214/41, any unevenness ofthe ground,

4 Claim, 5 Drawing figures 49 la a 26 J 26 5 6 I 7;! 7 I I 7 2] J1. I Z? PATENTEDMAY23 I972 3. 664,486

sum 1 OF 2 lNyENTOR TTORN PATENTEDMAY 23 1912 3, 664.486

sum 2 0r 2 INVENTOR VLADIMIR mm A ORNE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION.

Object of this invention is to provide a lifting prop or support for a transfer conveyer, enabling its displacement in the course of underground work in gangways and tunnels. Transfer conveyers composed of individual sections, connected by joints are advantageously used for this purpose.

Transfer conveyers for underground work, which are displaced behind a loading device and suspended from a track, fixed to the ceiling of a gangway, are already known. In other known arrangements the transfer conveyer is supported by a gantry carrier, moving on auxiliary lateral rails. A common drawback of these conveyers is the necessity to build an auxiliary track, which is generally dismantled with the advance of mining. Another drawback is the difficulty in advancing the conveyor in curved gangways and frequently it is even impossible to use similar conveyors for lack of vertical or transverse space.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to this invention there is provided a transfer conveyor which could be easily handled, which could be readily adapted to existing conditions of gangways and which would require the minimum amount of space to assemble.

A lifting prop is also provided according to this invention which comprises a cylindrical external mantle, housing a slidable cylinder with a hollow extension. The hollow extension is guided by the lower section of said cylindrical mantle and is provided with a number of notches. A piston with a hollow piston rod is slidably located in said cylinder, said hollow piston rod being provided at its lower extennity with a supporting disc.

The arrangement according to this invention enables the simple displacement of transfer conveyors of relatively large size in limited spaces in mines and in other places of limited space, particularly along stretches such as curves. The proposed lifting props are simple in construction and therefore also reliable in operation and their main advantage is their ability to lift or to maintain individual sections of transfer conveyers in a horizontal position without regard to the uneven condition of floor of the gangway, to which they compensate automatically.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS An embodiment of a transfer conveyer provided with lifting props according to this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, where FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 represent an elevation view of a transfer conveyer ready for displacement on mine cars,

FIG. 3 is a cross section perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis along the line IIIlIl, indicated in FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal axial cross section through a lifting prop and FIG. 5 is a cross section similar to that of FIG. 3 with the difference that the lifting props are raised to their working position.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1 and 2 the mobile transfer conveyer with a lifting prop, composed of several sections, of which two are seen) comprises supporting frames 1, mutually connected by joints 2. An endles band 3 is supported in the frames 1 by guiding, driving and return rollers at both extremities. The loading end of the conveyor band 3 is inclined and provided with a supply hopper 4, while the opposite, or discharge end, is supplied with a discharge hopper 5. The mobile transfer conveyer is provided with lifting props, connected by pairs of struts la to the frame 1 at each side of a section. Each lifiing prop is composed of a cylindrical mantle. The bottom cover having for example the shape of a supporting plate 7a, is provided with a central opening, allowing the passage of the lower section 7 of the cylindrical mantle 6. The section 7 has a smaller diameter than said mantle, and is fixed at its top to the supporting plate 7a. The struts Iaare fixed with one end at to the supporting plate 7a, with their other end to the frame 1 of the endless band 1. A cylinder 8 (FIG. 4) is located vertically slidably within the cylindrical mantle 6, and has fixedly connected thereto an extending narrow hollow extension 9, provided with notches 9a. A piston 10 having a hollow piston rod 11 is located inside the cylinder 8, the piston rod 11 passing through the hollow extension 9 and outwardly through the lower section 7. A supporting disc 12 is fixed to the lower extremity of the piston rod 11. A spring 13, suspended on the upper cover 8a of the cylinder 8, passes freely through the hollow piston rod 11, its other extremity fixed to a suspension hook 14 on the supporting disc 12. An air tight packing cuff or seal 15 is inserted between the cylinder 8 and between the internal wall of the cylindrical mantle 6, and a packing seal cuff 16 is inserted between the hollow extension 9 and the upper edge of the lower section 7 of the cylindrical mantle. Supply ducts 17, 18 for some form of pressure medium, for instance pressurized air, serving simultaneously for venting, are provided on the cylindrical mantle 6, the internal space of the cylinder 8 being connected by way of an opening 19 in the upper cover 8a with the internal space of the cylindrical mantle 6. A pressure vessel 23 including comprising a stop pin 20, fixed to a piston 21, is connected to the lower section 7 of the cylindrical mantle 6. A spring 22 is inserted between the free face of the piston 21 and the cover of the pressure vessel 23. A supply flange or duct 24 for some form pressure medium is provided in the mantle of the pressure vessel 23 within the working space of the piston 21. The stop 20 is adapted to engage the notches 9a of the hollow extension 9.

The whole transfer conveyer is first loaded on cars 26, for instance on mine cars, whereby its whole weight is transmitted by brackets 25 fixed to the cylindrical mantle 6, resting on the upper edges of the bodies of the mine cars 26 (FIG. 3). The inclined from section of the conveyer band 3 with the supply hopper 4 is permanently resting on the auxiliary car 27 (FIG.

The lifting props have in their rest position and also after transport to the required place a normal disposition where their cylinder 8 and piston 10 are in the upper extreme position, which position is secured by the stop 20, pressed by the spring 22 against the notches 9a of the hollow extension 9. Afterward release of the stop 20 by introducing pressure medium over the supply flange 24 into the pressure vessel 23, causes the cylinder 8 to drop automatically due to gravity, until the supporting disc 12 touches the floor of the gangway. Thus any compensation required for the possibly uneven surface of the gangway is automatically obtained (FIG. 5). The supply of pressure medium is subsequently stopped and the pressure vessel 23 vented, so that the stop 20 resumes due to the pressure of spring 22 again engagement with the notches 9a of the hollow extension 9. Pressure medium is thereafter supplied by way of the supply flange 18 to the cylindrical mantle 6. The pressurized medium enters through the opening 19 into the cylinder 8 above the piston 10. The cylindrical mantle 6 thus is raised, raising simultaneously for a constant distance both pairs of lifting props and thus also the whole transfer conveyer.

It is now possible to load the first car 26 which is below the discharge hopper 5. The auxiliary car 27 (FIG. 1 and 2) is subsequently uncoupled, and the whole set of cars 26 shifted to the right, until the following empty car 26 comes below the discharge hopper 5. This second car 26 is equally loaded and the whole train again shifted as described. Similarly the remaining cars are all sequentially loaded. If the transfer conveyer has to be displaced, all cylindrical mantles 6 are first vented through the supply flanges 18, whereafter pressure medium is supplied over the supply flanges 24 under the pistons 21, releasing thus the stops 20. Pressure medium is thereafter supplied beneath the cylinders 8, which are raised together with the hollow piston rods 11, pulled along by springs 13. Both the transfer conveyers drop simultaneously towards the cars 26 which are placed under the conveyer, until the brackets (FIG. 3) are touching the upper edges of the bodies of said cars 26. After the auxiliary car 27 has been coupled with end one of these cars 26, the transfer conveyor is displaced to the next required site and here again adjusted to its working position.

I claim: 1

l. A lifting prop for a transfer conveyer, enabling its displacement in gangways and tunnels, comprising in combination:

a vertical cylindrical external mantle with an upper and a lower section,

a cylinder with a hollow extension, arranged coaxially with said cylindrical mantle, and axially slidably within said mantle within two extreme positions, the cylinder engaging into the upper section, the hollow extension guided by the lower section of said cylindrical mantle,

a piston with a hollow piston rod arranged slidably in said cylinder,

said hollow piston rod extending beyond both said lower section of the mantle and beyond said hollow extension of the cylinder,

a supporting disc, adapted for seating on the ground, fixed to the lower extremity of said hollow extension of the cylinder,

.means for locking the relative position of the hollow extension of the cylinder and of the one section of the cylindrical mantle,

means for supplying a pressure medium and for venting the space of the upper section of the cylindrical mantle above and below the cylinder,

means for admission of a pressure medium into said cylinder,

means for fixing said cylindrical mantle to the frame of the transfer conveyor.

2. A lifting prop as set forth in claim 1, the means for locking the relative posifion of the hollow extension of the cylinder and of one section of the cylindrical mantle comprising a pressure vessel with a spring loaded piston, fixed laterally to the lower section of the mantle, the hollow extension of the cylinder provided with a number of notches at different height, the piston actuating a stop, adapted to engage into said notches, means for supplying pressure medium into the space under said piston, to act against the spring force and for venting said space.

3. A lifting prop as set forth in claim 1 comprising brackets to rest on cars used to transfer the whole conveyor and to take over the material discharged by the conveyor.

4. A lifting prop as set forth in claim 1 comprising a spring passing freely through the hollow piston rod and suspended with one end at the cover of the cylinder, with the other end at the supporting disc. 

1. A lifting prop for a transfer conveyer, enabling its displacement in gangways and tunnels, comprising in combination: a vertical cylindrical external mantle with an upper and a lower section, a cylinder with a hollow extension, arranged coaxially with said cylindrical mantle, and axially slidably within said mantle within two extreme positions, the cylinder engaging into the upper section, the hollow extension guided by the lower section of said cylindrical mantle, a piston with a hollow piston rod arranged slidably in said cylinder, said hollow piston rod extending beyond both said lower section of the mantle and beyond said hollow extension of the cylinder, a supporting disc, adapted for seating on the ground, fixed to the lower extremity of said hollow extension of the cylinder, means for locking the relative position of the hollow extension of the cylinder and of the one section of the cylindrical mantle, means for supplying a pressure medium and for venting the space of the upper section of the cylindrical mantle above and below the cylinder, means for admission of a pressure medium into said cylinder, means for fixing said cylindrical mantle to the frame of the transfer conveyor.
 2. A lifting prop as set forth in claim 1, the means for locking the relative position of the hollow extension of the cylinder and of one section of the cylindrical mantle comprising a pressure vessel with a spring loaded piston, fixed laterally to the lower section of the mantle, the hollow extension of the cylinder provided with a number of notches at different height, the piston actuating a stop, adapted to engage into said notches, means for supplying pressure medium into the space under said piston, to act against the spring force and for venting said space.
 3. A lifting prop as set forth in claim 1 comprising brackets to rest on cars used to transfer the whole conveyor and to take over the material discharged by the conveyor.
 4. A lifting prop as set forth in claim 1 comprising a spring passing freely through the hollow piston rod and suspended with one end at the cover of the cylinder, with the other end at the supporting disc. 